Originally Posted by aussiedude
Did you really just say that?
The original SLK was one of the most influential designs that has been produced recently?
Oh my.
I would suggest "one of the most widely criticized designs that has been produced recently" would be more accurate.
I mean, I love my 6, and happen to love the SLK32 as well, but the original gen SLKs were generally regarded as a let down performance wise, as well as not particularly attractive. The performance was largely rectified in the 32, but it is still a general design that no other car has tried to imitate.
If no other cars tried to copy it, it seems difficult to call it influential.
Anyone with a little bit of car knowledge knows that it's impossible to determine the historical value of a car upon its release. Some of the most influential cars in history were panned by the press and consumers initially.
Please name some other cars that were produced in the last 20 years that had more of an impact on other manufacturer's lines than the SLK. I can come up with a couple, maybe. Almost all other manufacturers now have a roadster in its line. Almost all of them now have a hardtop convertible in its line. This is a direct result of the success of the SLK. The SLK changed how Mercedes markets some of its vehicles. It influenced the direction of the SL and C class.
I can probably name 20 cars that wouldn't have been produced if it weren't for the SLK. Show me an example of another car with this impact.
Obviously we won't know the value of these cars for another 30 or 40 years, but I think the SLK32 and the Crossfire SRT will be looked upon very favorably.